A30243:1244
Spiritual refining
Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.
London: printed by A. Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A TREATISE OF GRACE and ASSURANCE; Being CXX. SERMONS. › Section 5 › Sermon 45
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. This new man may not be a new Creature, because the change is wrought upon him by confused principles of the mind, and sudden affections and resolutions, not by a distinct, clear, and well advised information of judgement. Those hearers that received the Word with joy, found immediately a change upon them; but they held out for a season only, because it was not a deliberate work on them; Therefore our Saviour exhorts every one that would make a change of his life, and become his Disciple, to sit down first and consider, Luk. 14. 28. whether he be able to make such a building as that of grace is, or whether he can set out strength enough against so many thousand enemies that will be in the way. Observe it, he compares this undertaking of Christianity, and his discipleship to two great and chargeable things, which have exhausted men of great Treasures, building, and waging War; and therefore our Saviour turned back some that came to be Volunteers in his Service, informing them of the hardship that would accompany his ways; so that there is no such hopeful way of continuing in a good new change, as when this is wrought by a sound illumination of the mind, and by strong conviction of the judgement, through potent Arguments. And what can be thought the reason of so many Apostates from the hopeful beginnings of grace, which seemed in many, but this only, Their affections were wrought upon, they had great grief, great fear and terror upon their consciences, but little or very weak workings upon their judgements? Therefore we Ministers of God, think not this any such great matter, to stir up in you, new grief, new sorrow, new fears in you. Alas, this water will quickly be dried up; but this is the great work, to convince your judgement with such new light and reason out of Gods Word, and this will stick like an Arrow in thy heart: Thou wilt roar out and cry, Oh there are such arguments from the Scripture, such strong reasons from Gods Word for me to become a new man, that I am not able to gain-say them. Therefore this new creature is called Light in the Lord: fear all those affections of grief, and sorrow, and terror that are in thee, being but affections, and not the fruit of an enlightened judgment, will quickly vanish away:
3. This new man may not be a new Creature, because the change is wrought upon him by confused principles of the minde, and suddain affections and resolutions, not by a distinct, clear, and well advised information of judgement. Those hearers that received the Word with joy, found immediately a change upon them; but they held out for a season only, because it was not a deliberate work on them; Therefore our Saviour exhorts every one that would make a change of his life, and become his Disciple, to sit down first and consider,